Bring on the Rain (10 page)

She still couldn’t talk about Mitch.
That at least she had been able to keep to a minimum. She had lived
and died for Mitch in an incredibly anguished way. It would never
be easy to put those feelings into words.

~*~

The week was hectic for her. Although
Madeline called her friends and shared her major decision with
them, she still had doubts and fears. She made a lunch date with
Jenna Boggs, needing to assure her she wasn’t going to strangle
Karla. They both knew Brook couldn’t coerce her friend to do
anything and vice versa. After her anger cooled, she knew she’d
probably scared the hell out of her daughter’s friend.

Karla and Brook had gone all through
school together. The girl had stayed all night a lot. She was a
fixture around their house.

Jenna was a phone pal of late. Madeline
didn’t get to see her too often. An RN at the Brownsville hospital
and widowed, she had to work hard to make enough to support her
daughter. She still helped Karla apply for grants; because there
was no other way could she afford college for her. The girl had a
few small scholarships, but nothing that would pay for the type of
education she wanted.

Jenna had short strawberry hair and was
as curvy as her daughter. She was an attractive woman. However,
more often than not was exhausted both emotionally and
physically.

She came to the Tavern on Thursday
during her break, dressed in something besides white for a change,
a pair of khaki slacks and a black sweater. They lunched in the
back because it was empty.

“
I’m not mad at Karla,”
Madeline began.

“
I wouldn’t blame you. I
told her, she was lucky you were speaking to her.”

“
I know Brook pushed
it.”

Jenna ate a little of her sandwich then
informed her, “I talked to Mary the other day.”

Mary Gribbs was the home health nurse
who looked after Dovie.

“
Oh?”

Jenna’s gray eyes scanned around first,
she leaned toward her, “—They’re calling the family
members.”

Madeline held her look and took a drink
of soda. She glanced down at the table eventually. “Even her name
makes me tense up. In the flesh, she was intimidating. After all
these years, hearing her name even now conjures up an image of
vigor. She had the coldest voice and eyes.”

“
You going to be all right,
Friday? With Coy there?”

“
I’m working, but I’ll be
worried. I can’t help it.”

“
It’s much better than her
sneaking around.”

“
I know. She’s going to see
him anyway.”

“
They invited Karla and a
guy over too, that will keep it pretty tame.”

“
I hope,” Madeline
grimaced.

Jenna finished up and looked at her
watch. “I’ve got to run errands. I’m behind on everything.” They
walked out the back door and remained in the noon sun a moment,
watching cars pass by.

“
I’ve got a date,” Jenna
confided calmly.

“
Really! When?” Madeline
gaped at her, surprised. “Your first since Paul died. Who,
when?”

“
Next week, with Tony
Singleton.” Jenna laughed at her wide eyes.

“
Oh…”

“
What’s wrong?” Jenna eyed
her, obviously hearing that flat tone.

“
Nothing, it’s... Don't you
feel as though he’s peculiar, a little odd?”

“
No.”

“
Are you attracted to
him?”

“
I don't know.” Jenna shook
her head. “Part of me is scared I’m never going to date again. Part
of me is tired of being alone. I work too much. The only
conversation I have is about work, or fighting with Karla. I miss
men, even the irritating things.”

“
Be careful with him. I
don't know what it is. I feel as though he’s not what he
seems.”

Jenna laughed. “You’ve been alone
longer than I have. You don't trust anyone anyway.”

“
Even Ruby thinks he’s
odd.”

“
Oh, well, Ruby would. She
probably said something about his aura.”

“
She did.”

Jenna sighed as they walked to her car,
she explained, “I’m going to a movie with him. Then
home.”

“
Still. Be careful. Take
your own car.”

She nodded, got in the car, and started
the engine. She waved after putting on her sunglasses and pulled
out.

Jenna’s upcoming date bothered Madeline
a great deal. She called Ruby and told her.

“
I swear something is not
right with that dude.”

“
I’m worried. I felt
nauseated when she told me.”

“
I’ll try and find out where
she’s going. I’ll spy on her. I’m good at it.” Ruby was
serious.

Madeline laughed, though it wasn’t
funny.

“
Jeez, you know, Nick would
have taken her out,” Ruby said thoughtfully.

“
Does he like
her?”

“
I don't know, he prefers
calm people now.” Ruby laughed, “My brother is twenty-eight, a
hunk, and would rather date a fifty year old to avoid rejection.”
she amended, “I’m not saying Jenna is old, simply the type. You
know? Too busy and tired to screw around on him or expect him to
open up. Nice, undemanding, no risk.”

“
That’s sad.”

“
He’ll get over it. He’s not
dating anyone. He’s barely getting out of the bed. But anyway, I’ll
call you.”

~*~

Friday evening Madeline was getting
ready for work when Coy arrived. He and Brook were in the living
room watching TV when she came out.

Coy wore a pair of blue pants with
pockets all over them, a muscle shirt that brought out the amber in
his eyes. Uh, boy, she thought dryly, the Coburn’s knew how to reek
testosterone.

While they exchanged greetings, a knock
at the door announced Karla and her beau; a lanky boy, dressed in
jeans so baggy Madeline wondered how they stayed on. He had on a
skullcap, his hair in several long braids, his T-shirt three sizes
too big and had a guy skate boarding on it.

“
Mrs. Logan, this is Crazy
Ralph.”

Madeline smiled. “Is Crazy your first
name?”

He flushed. “Nah, it’s a thing they
call me at school.”

Madeline nodded, putting her purse
strap over her shoulder, watching them take a seat. “Any particular
reason why?”

“
I’m the king on the board.”
He pointed to his shirt, his head bobbing in a comical
way.

She nodded, and said goodbye. Out on
the porch Madeline rolled her eyes, calling herself crazy too. She
hoped they didn’t trash her house. For teenagers, she stocked up on
chips, soda, and teenager essentials. The last thing she wanted to
do when she got off at two in the morning was clean up.

At the Tavern another band was
playing.

Madeline worked up front at the sports
bar, where the patrons were quiet, unless a game was on the big
screen TV. Businessmen, a few women, and not much joking. They were
somewhat more particular and surprisingly less generous with the
tips.

“
Ready for a change?” Rafael
came up to her during a lull. Tonight he wore a dark purple silk
shirt and black slacks, and plat-form shoes. His ink black hair was
gelled lightly. He favored a young Elvis with his bruised lids and
full lips. “The band is on break.”

“
How’s the crowd back
there?”

“
Rowdy.”

She winced. “Joe’s in the main bar. I
think I’ll take over there for a while.”

He nodded. “Sunny is in the office
doing the books, he said for all of us to come in early next week,
inventory time.”

Madeline groaned but nodded. She tapped
Joe on the shoulder and traded rooms with him. Madeline worked the
main bar until it closed, then went to the back and worked the
dance club with Rafael.

After closing time, they cleaned up,
nearly dragging. At the end of the long night, there wasn’t much
banter. She just wanted to get home and off her feet.

Madeline talked to Sunny before
leaving, setting her schedule for the following week. More than
ready for fresh air, she stepped out the back door and stood for a
time by her Bronco, absorbing night sounds and feeling the silence
and openness. It was amazing how filled her head could get working
in the place she did, stuffed with sounds of talk, clatter, music,
just noise.

There was hardly any traffic moving. A
new truck pulled in, she watched it with interest, her hand on her
keys and her mace, just in case. Diamond Back didn’t have much
crime, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have pervs. She had dealt
with a few patrons too who had hung around waiting for her to get
off work. After a few unpleasant incidents, most of them got the
message. You never knew when guys drank too much, what they got in
their heads.

The truck turned and backed up until
even with her. The window rolled down.

“
You’re a ways from home,
Mitch.” Madeline looked to see him leaning his arm on the wheel,
obviously expecting to talk with her.

“
I had a job across town, a
gig at the VFW.”

She nodded.

“
You just getting
off?”

“
Yes, standing here enjoying
silence.”

His eyes shone even in the shadow of
the truck cab and his hair was mussed. “You hungry?”

“
I could eat, but I need to
get home to Brook.”

“
Coy called and checked on
her. He had to get in touch with her about something. It came up
when he called my cell phone. He said she was fine.”

“
I’ll eat when I get
home.”

Mitch shook his head. “Come on, at this
time of night, no one will see us. I’m starving. I called in a
couple of meals at the IHOP.”

“
A couple?”

“
Yeah, after Coy called, I
figured I’d see if you wanted to get a bite to eat.”

“
Mitch, that isn’t a good
idea.”

“
Coy said he told Brook. I’m
sorry about that.”

Madeline could tell by his sincere
expression he was. He looked good, she thought, too good. This was
twice now they were face-to-face, pretty much alone, it unbalanced
her.

“
Yeah, well, me
too.”

He rubbed his finger over his lip,
still looking at her and coaxed, “No strings, a meal. We can even
eat sitting on the tailgate somewhere.”

Madeline sighed. She knew how stubborn
he could get and was too tired, too numb to go through it tonight.
“You pick them up. I’ll meet you at my house. And we can eat on the
porch.”

He nodded and pulled out.

Muttering, she drove homeward. He would
probably have chosen an isolated park or an intimate spot they used
years ago. She hadn’t eaten anything since early noon and he was
lucky she was hungry and too exhausted to think of
cooking.

At home, Madeline went in and checked
on Brook, finding her house messy, but signs they had done their
version of cleaning up. Meaning, they hit the trashcan and vacuumed
where you could see.

She washed up and pulled on faded
jeans, a sweatshirt, and backless leather shoes. Ignoring the
popcorn under the edge of the sofa, she took a battery-powered lamp
out and set it on the warped wicker table. Turning a big light on
would invite both bugs and the neighbor's nosy eyes.

Madeline was sitting on an old wooden
bench when Mitch arrived. He got out carrying sodas and six
bags.

She whispered amused, “I thought you
said two meals?”

“
I’m hungry.” Mitch shrugged
then sat down beside her, and started unpacking it.

She took a plate and filled it with
eggs, toast, hash browns, and gravy. They ate with their feet
propped up, and the fresh night wind blowing softly across the
porch.

She finished long before he did and
uncapped one of the coffees he’d brought. Sipping, she felt his
eyes on her, felt the heat of him next to her, and smelled his
scent mingled with breakfast and coffee. It was too intimate for
comfort.

Madeline had a quick thought,
remembering how Bud had switched to having bagels or Jell-O for
breakfast; he didn’t want any food on his clothing, and didn’t want
the smell of it clinging to him. He had worn a strong after-shave
that repelled her. He’d been screwing around, but sadly, she hadn’t
cared.

Mitch ate the last of his food and also
uncapped his coffee. He turned to lean against the side of the
bench, facing her profile, bending his knee to rest on the mellow
wood.

Madeline glanced over, caught him
staring at her thighs, and waited for him to glance up at
her.

Mitch did, leisurely, his gaze
soft.

“
Nothing has changed,
Mitch.” Her voice was hushed as not to wake Brook. “It was a long
time ago, a mistake we made, and there’s no feelings left
over.”